Bail Bondsperson
by Alpha Ace
Summary: How does one decide to become a bail bondsperson? Pre-series.


Emma is ten and she realizes she probably spent way too much time sitting in front of the TV.

It's hard to make new friends when you've just moved here. That's one of the things she hates most about having to go from foster home to foster home. TV however, is one of the few stable things she has. She's only ever been in one foster home that didn't have a TV and she only stayed there a few days. They were nice though.

As she surfs through the channels, something catches her eye and she stops. It's Star Wars. She's heard of it before obviously. There was this kid that was in her class last year that was a huge fan even had a Star Wars lunchbox. She never had the chance to see it herself though.

By the end, she's in love. In particular, with Boba Fett the bounty hunter. He just oozed cool.

That night, Emma dreams of being a bounty hunter taking down criminals all across the galaxy.

...

Emma is sixteen and she's finally free of the stupid foster care system.

She saved up enough money that she'll be able to live somewhat decently without a job for awhile. She knows she has to get one eventually but there's not a lot of options for someone like her.

She briefly entertains the idea of becoming a cop. It might be cool, kicking ass and saving the day. It's just a bonus she might be easier to find her birth parents with the resources a police officer has.

But she doesn't feel like committing to the idea fully yet.

She's only sixteen after all. The future is bright though, who knows what opportunities there might be for her?

...

Emma is eighteen and she's just given away her child.

This is the right decision, she knows this. The kid won't have a good life with her as a mom. She's just not mother material.

But she can't help but feel like a huge hypocrite.

She's spent her entire life chasing after her parents and blaming them for all her life's woes. Well, at least she can comfort herself with the fact she's not just dumping her kid at the side of the road. She's made sure he'll get adopted. He's going to have a real family.

More than she ever had.

…

Emma is eighteen still and she's sitting in her motel room drinking.

Casually, she picks up the remote and flicks on the tiny TV provided by the motel. She just needs something, anything, to get her mind off of her kid. She surfs through the channels looking for something remotely interesting when something catches her eye.

Star Wars.

She feels like laughing. It's been ages since she's seen Star Wars.

Then she has an idea. A really stupid idea.

It might be cool to become a bounty hunter. It's about ten times more interesting than those waitressing jobs she takes wherever she can find one. It's a stupid, childish dream.

But hell, she thinks it's about time she changed a few things in her life.

...

Emma is twenty and she's found she has a knack for finding people.

She had managed to convince a bail bondsman to outsource finding the latest crook to her. She impressed him enough for him to hire her permanently.

She is starting to really like it here in Tallahassee.

He... the bail bondsman, is one of the few people that believed in her. Trusted her.

It feels good to know that at least one person in this crappy world cares.

For once, Emma feels like she isn't alone.

...

Emma is twenty-two and she's sitting in her yellow bug driving away from Tallahassee.

There's nothing left there for her anymore. He's... dead. Murdered by an old disgruntled client that had recently gotten out of jail.

The bastard skipped town immediately but she found him. She always finds them. With him rotting in jail again, she can leave on good conscience.

In his will, he left her some money. He didn't give her a fortune or anything but enough to become a bail bonds_person_.

With a hardened heart, Emma bids goodbye to Tallahassee.

...

Emma is twenty-eight and she's just caught another guy jumping bail abandoning his poor wife.

She's always hated those people, who could just abandoned their families like that. Honestly, she's exhausted.

She takes out a cupcake and lights the candle on it.

Another lonely birthday.

She just... doesn't want to be alone anymore.

On that wish, she blows out the single candle. She doesn't believe in wishes, not really. Not after a childhood of wishing for her parents to come rescue her and them never coming.

The doorbell rings.

It's ominous. The timing is just too good.

As Emma walks towards the door, she can't shake the feeling of being Alice going down the rabbit hole.


End file.
